Go back in time a few years to the 2002 Division V Central Section semi-finals football game: FC vs. Immanuel at Clovis High School. Over 3,000 fans attended one of the biggest games in campus history. According to athletic director and then defensive coordinator, Chris Schultz, the atmosphere was ?electric.?
Though Immanuel emerged victorious by 3 points, the FC made a statement. Star running back Colby Hunter, ’03, carried the team to an 11-1 record that year and a 25-9 record during the three years that were the zenith of campus football.
?It always feels good to be on a winning team,? Hunter said. ?I played on a losing team my sophomore year and there is definitely a huge difference. It was a great experience for me to compete in big games like the one against Immanuel; I loved the competitive atmosphere.?
With over 20 years of coaching experience on campus, Schultz has seen the cream of the crop in athletes that maximized their potential by conditioning their bodies.
?We had some excellent athletes, but we also had kids who made the most of their abilities with a great attitude and work ethic,” Schultz said. ?It made for a student body that got excited about sports and the school.?
One who stood out was basketball captain Jon Steele, ’03, who led his team to a 20-9 record in ’02-’03 season and consecutive West Sierra League championships from ’01-’03.
?A lot of our success had to do with our hard work ethic and our chemistry as a team,? Steele said. ?We had a great class of athletes and were able to put together some championship teams.?
Last year?s varsity boys’ basketball team struggled to a 3-24 record with the football squad ending their season at 2-8.
“The main problem is that our kids are not as tough as the kids from schools like Fowler and Riverdale,” Schultz said. “Those kids have grown up in an atmosphere where they were taught to work hard.”
One of the problems is that FC teams lose many athletes to injuries throughout the season. CJ Haydock, head junior high boys’ basketball coach and varsity assistant coach, believes the current problem resides in the inadequate conditioning of the boys’ teams.
?Many of them (athletes) started playing their sport in high school which is too late to learn the fundamentals that keep them from getting hurt,” Haydock said. “We also need a culture change, because our teams don?t expect to win any more. We as coaches need to do a better job to instill a winning mentality in them.?
The main solution to the problem, according to the coaches and athletic director, is better strength and conditioning.
?If we are going to raise our football and basketball programs to a level where we can be competitive with teams in our league, we must provide the proper environment,” Schultz said, “so our student athletes can get stronger and faster.?
The construction of a new building is a potential boost for the athletic program.
?A new high school facility will encourage more students to come to our school,? Schultz said. ?It would greatly benefit our athletic program to have 500 kids to draw from as opposed to 300.?
The new building also has another added benefit for the sports teams according to head junior varsity football coach, Mick Fuller.
?It (new building) will have a state-of-the-art facility for the music and performing arts classes to practice,? Fuller said. ?This will open up the present music suite for a new weight room for our athletes. Strength training is vital to the success of any athletic program. Having a new high school building that better accommodates performing arts and frees up space for athletic use will benefit all programs.?
